Reported by Dr. Keith Lipinski
………from the ROH Board:
ROH World Champion Nigel McGuinness is 100% after suffering a concussion, broken nose and needing stitches on 12/29. He is ready for his next World Title defense. It won’t be in Dayton or Chicago though. It will be in Tokyo, Japan at the world famous Korakuen Hall.
Go Shiozaki challenged McGuinness for a World Title Match on 1/10. Nigel, looking to maintain the prestige of the belt in Japan set by Takeshi Morishima, was quick to agree. The bout will take place on 1/20 in Tokyo.
“I know there are critics of my World Title reign,” McGuinness proved. “Believe me, I have one goal and that is to build my legacy as ROH World Champion. Korakuen Hall is one of the most famous buildings in the world for professional wrestling. Now the ROH World Title will be defended in it against a very capable challenger in Go Shiozaki.”
Shiozaki makes an interesting challenger who has a strong chance of winning the ROH World Title. ROH fans know Shiozaki from his classic match against Bryan Danielson at ROH’s “Live In Tokyo” event last July. Shiozaki also competed for ROH on the first tour of England. He is regarded as a can’t miss future star in Japan and was trained by Kenta Kobashi. What really makes Shiozaki an interesting challenger are the rumors that he will see action in ROH in 2008. Could Shiozaki come to the United States as ROH World Champion?
“I am more determined than ever to keep this title for nothing else than to shut up all the ignorant naysayers out there,” McGuinness said. “I grew up in the wrestling business in the Dayton area and I will walk in and out of the Steel Cage in Dayton as World Champion on January 25th. Then I will shut up Roderick Strong the next night in Chicago. This belt is mine and for those of you who support me, it will be a great ride.”
NOAH, January 20, 2008 – Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. Mohammed Yone & Ippei Ota vs. Taiji Ishimori & Akihiko Ito
2. Kishin Kawabata & Kentaro Shiga vs. Junji Izumida & Mitsuo Momota.
3. Takuma Sano & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Tamon Honda & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi
4. Yoshinari Ogawa, Doug Williams & Masao Inoue vs. Bison Smith, Rocky Romero & Davey Richards
5. Akitoshi Saito & KENTA vs. Yoshihiro Takayama & Atsushi Aoki
6. Shuhei Taniguchi Ten Match Trial Series – Match One: Shuhei Taniguchi vs. Kensuke Sasaki
7. ROH World Title: Nigel McGuinnes (c) vs. Go Shiosaki
8. Akira Taue 20th Anniversary Match: Akira Taue, Jun Akiyama & Takeshi Morishima vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, Naomichi Marufuji & Kotaro Suzuki
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Dr. Keith Lipinski
Host Of The Dr. Keith Lipinski Show http://www.F4WOnline.com
Director of Public Relations – Wrestling Division – Big Vision Entertainment http://www.BVDVD.com